She Thinks She Entitled To My Recipes......

So just a little aggravated. A little background I owned my own shop for several years, I closed about 8 months ago. I was successful but was just exhausted, I have a 6 year old and was tired of working 6-7 days a week 12 hours a day so my husband and I decided that it was time for a change after 15 years in the cake industry. I now only bake strictly for family or very close friends.

Anyways, about two months after I closed a lady I know opened a small shop, I was happy to answer any questions she had and explained all the licensing process and shared a wealth of information and even gave her my left over boxes boards and other things I would not have use for.

Well she is always asking people what flavors of cupcakes they want and many of them are old customers of mine and are asking for some of the unique flavors I use to make. She calls me the other day asking for my recipe collection, she said she has been trying to replicate my flavors but her customers do not like them they say they are not the same as what they use to buy form my shop.

I told her that I was sorry but I did not give out my recipes, to anyone, period.I spent years perfecting all my recipes and I do not feel I should just hand them over. She said I was being selfish and should let her have them since I was not in business anymore. She said she works hard to make my former customers happy so I should let her have my recipes so she can do better.

I still told her no, now she is on Facebook posting insinuations, she has not directly named me, but it is very obvious she is talking about me. Posting stuff like I cant believe how selfish someone can be, no reason to not share a simple recipe. General stuff like that.

The fact is while I have no intention of ever having my own shop again, I do have a project in the works for my own cookbook, a large portion of it being committed to my cake and cupcake recipes, not all but many of them.

I never had anything handed to me so I'll be darned if I am just going to hand over recipes that took me years to perfect.

She sounds like a manipulative, selfish witch. I suggest you post on her Facebook page that you're sorry for her misunderstanding about the recipes, that your cookbook is underway, and when it's published you will gift her with a copy.

You do not need to be pinned down on publishing specifics (name of publisher, anticipated publication date, etc,). Everyone knows that these details need to be kept secret.

no way mimi... she got free donated leftover supplies, expert and experienced assistance, and she has no right to ask/demand ANYTHING.

No one is "entitled" to anyone else hard developed/ perfected recipes- ever. You want to give them out- fine. You like to share- fine . Demand? Bully? GET LOST.

My reply/ post? "I spent 20 years, often 6-7 days per week perfecting my recipes. It represents years of research and development, sweat and tears, flour and sugar.... just not something I am willing to give away, or share." Notice, I never included "sorry"... I am not sorry.... it is mine.

If you worked 20 years to buy a Ferrari, would you give it to me? Intellectual property is no different.

This woman apparently has not heard of private property rights. You own your recipes as intellectual property, and what you do with them is none of her business. Next she'll be demanding that you sign over your house to her, calling you "selfish" if you don't. You've been more than nice to her already. Don't give her anything.

Whoa, relax a minute, Johnson. My suggestion to Louanne was a smile-but-you're-not-getting-a-damn-thing response that can be posted on Facebook without appearing to be a jerk and without starting a war. No one needs a war.

Personally I can be a bear if crossed, but snide remarks, no matter how deserved, come across badly in business. Mimi's way was saying, "No", but avoiding looking bad and actually provided a gracious response.

She sounds like a manipulative, selfish witch. I suggest you post on her Facebook page that you're sorry for her misunderstanding about the recipes, that your cookbook is underway, and when it's published you will gift her with a copy.

'Gift' her a copy my eye! She's got enough free stuff ! I know that you know that you went above and beyond in helping her as much as you've already done, and unfortunately, this turned out to be a case of no good deed going unpunished. Leave her to burn in the lumpy, flavourless batter that is her life. Selfish indeed! Ooooooh! Some people!!

A rude outlandish request does not have to be met with a polite response. Jason, I agree on your one point- not so much for what she asked for (as she may not appreciate the work that went into it) but her attitude and blackmail ploys.

That is why is too say, "gift her a copy"......? My a**. I did not say publicly post it that way on Facebook, but ....

You might ask her if she wants her own business or just a continuation of yours. After all, she got your supplies, knowledge and customers. Encourage her to develop her own signature products and recipes. Doesn't she want to be able to say the business was hers - not just a copycat of yours?

This is probably a useless idea this point because she's been so passive aggressive, but perhaps you could meet in the middle?

You could have an IP attorney draft an agreement where if she is going to use your recipes she pays you some kind of residual, like 10 cents for every cupcake and $5 for every cake. Something that would be totally negligible to her customers but could easily add up to several thousand dollars over the year for you without ever having to set foot in the kitchen. I'm a big fan of the idea of getting paid to not work.... You could casually remind her that at any time you could just, oh I dont know, get the urge to open a store down the street.

This is probably a useless idea this point because she's been so passive aggressive, but perhaps you could meet in the middle?

You could have an IP attorney draft an agreement where if she is going to use your recipes she pays you some kind of residual, like 10 cents for every cupcake and $5 for every cake. Something that would be totally negligible to her customers but could easily add up to several thousand dollars over the year for you without ever having to set foot in the kitchen. I'm a big fan of the idea of getting paid to not work.... You could casually remind her that at any time you could just, oh I dont know, get the urge to open a store down the street.

How would you know every time she sold a cake or a cupcake...do you really think she would be honest enough to tell you. I say get the money up front for the recipes (a large sum) if you're willing to part with them. But let her know that you still own the rights to them for future use as you see fit.

How would you know every time she sold a cake or a cupcake...do you really think she would be honest enough to tell you.

The legal agreement would require regular disclosure of sales broken out by product to determine how much of a license fee is owed. Failure to disclose could be remedied by a lawsuit and a subpoena for the bakery's sales records.

I say get the money up front for the recipes (a large sum) if you're willing to part with them. But let her know that you still own the rights to them for future use as you see fit.

If the recipes are sold, she does not "still own the rights to them for future use."

She can, assuming she sells a non-exclusive license to the recipes for a one-time fee.

Of course once the other person would have access to the recipes it would be trivial to make slight modifications and claim it as their own product. The only real safe way to do this without losing control of the IP would be to make the cupcakes yourself and sell them wholesale.

Never reward bad behavior. I would have nothing further to do with this lady. I too would like to write a cookbook someday and don't share my dessert recipes. You may find that a few years down the line you miss having a bakery and choose to reopen one.

Thanks guys! Sorry, didn't mean to post and disappear! Chasing a six year old with Kindergarten end of the year stuff is proving very exhausting!

I have not found fit to respond to her anymore. She can ask and throw hissy fits all she wants but she is not getting them, I more than helped her with the ins and outs of starting up a shop and even referred my old clients to her. She is a fairly talented decorator and her cakes do not taste bad they just aren't the same as mine ( I really think she uses doctored mixes, not saying there is anything wrong, i just prefer scratch my self). So I am done, no more free advice for her, not that I wish her bad but I do not have time to build someone elses business for them.

Well, let's think about this, I think you SHOULD give her the recipes. Now, if there is a key ingredient missing or say, double the amount of a leavening agent, you can't be held responsible for her crappy product! XD

Seriously though, people like that have NO business going INTO business if they don't know what the heck they're doing and have NOTHING solid to bring to the table. Period.

Good for you, and good luck with your cookbook! There have been so many stupid little "cake fights" on facebook that I've seen recently... seems like people are just looking to stir up trouble to make their own lives more interesting. Delete and ignore makes it a lot easier.